Electrical tubular device



`lune l0, 1930. G. s. FABER ELECTRICAL TUBULAR DEvIcE Filed Feb. 6, 1926 @gli Patented June l0, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT Iol-"Fl'cE GUY 8. FABER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO JAS. P. MARSH COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION F ILLINOIS ELECTRICAL TUBULAB DEVICE Application med February 6, 1926. Serial No. 86,535.

My invention relates more particularly to the hollow receptacles of mercury contact switch devices and the method of manufacturing the same, though it is also applicable to electrical ray-emitting tubes.

One of my objects is to provide a device of the character stated the hollow glass portions of which will not become impaired or injured by subjection to the heat generated by the arcing of the circuit in the glass portion.

Another object is to provide for the production of tight joints between electrodes and the openings in the hollow portions, particularly in the case of such devices when molded of glass, as for example, and more particularly, quartz glass which is a very desirable kind of glass to use as it presents great resistance to relatively high heat. x

Another object is to provide for the evacuation of the air from the hollow portions and the charging of the latter with liquid or gas, as desired, more particularly in the case of a structure molded from glass; and other objects as will be manifest from the following description I have chosen to illustrate my invention in connection with glass tubular receptacles forming the electrode-equipped portions of tiltable switch devices and containing mercury which, responsive to the tilting of the tubular receptacles controls the making and breaking of the circuits at the electrodes, a description of the figures of the drawing being as follows:

Fi re 1 is a plan sectional view of a switc device of the eneral character above referred to, this device embodying my improvements and being produced 1n accordance with my improved method. Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken at the line 2-2 on Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Figure 3 is an enlarged view in vertical sectional elevation taken through the center set of contacts of the device, this view showing the position assumed by the arts prior to the operation of closing the 9 )oint at this part of the receptacle and F1 re 4, a similar view of these parts showing t em in the position they assume upon being adjusted into tight-joint-producmg condition.

As a preface to the following description of my invention, it may be stated that the particular illustrated embodiment of my invention is that disclosed in my co-pending application for United States Letters Patent, Serial No. 84,619 filed January 29, 1926, this switch device presenting three pairs of contacts arranged to extend into the tube at different points along its length, with a body of mercury in the tube adapted to bridge the contacts of the several pairs thereof responsive to the tilting of the receptacle to horizontal position or to a position 1n which it inclines in either direction, one set of'contacts being bridged at one time only for any suitable purpose, as for example that disclosed in said co-pendin application wherein I have illustrated mec anism for effecting intermittent tilting o the receptacle to control the making and breaking of the circuit at the contacts.

The device as shown comprises a tubular receptacle 5 which, in accordance with one feature of my invention, and by preference, is molded from quartz glass, such glass being preferred for the reasons above stated. The receptacle 5 is shown as formed with a boss 5'l rigidly secured to a shaft 5b at which the device may be pivotally supported to adapt it to be rocked into the various circuit controlling positions, this rocking being effected in any desirable way, as for example by the mechanism in my above-referred-to co-pending ap lication. The shape of the receptacle is pre erably that shown, namely, of elongated, practically straight form, with a recess, represented at 6, in its lower portion practically midway between its ends, the upper wall portion of the tube 5 being molded to provide upwardly extending, open-ended bosses 7, 8 and 9, the boss 8 bein arranged directly opposite the recess 6 and t e bosses 7 and 9 located at the ends of the tube. The inner surfaces of each of these bosses is outwardly tapered, as represented at 7, 8, and

The three sets of contact devices referred to are represented at 10, 11 and 12; these sets of contact devices, which are located in the respective bosses 7, 8 and 9, being of the same 'general construction and extending at their lower ends into a position in which the mercury represented at 13 engages therewith 1n the respective positions to which the receptacle 5 is rocked, gas-tight joints being provided between these sets of contacts and the bosses 7, 8 and 9 in which they are located, by expansible sealing sleeves 14, 15 and 16.

Referring to the detailed showing in Figs. 3 and 4 of the set 11 of contact devices, this set comprises the contacts 17 and 18, the contact 17 being of rod form with an opening 19 extending entirely therethrough lengthwise .of this rod, its upper, threaded end 2O containing a small tube 21, as for example of brass, brazed or otherwise secured, in the enlarged upper end of the opening 19, the rod 17 at its lower end being of enlarged diameter as represented with an annular chamfered groove 22 in the top surface of this enlarged portion. The contact 17 is surrounded by the contact 18, which latter is of tubular form, its inner surface being of substantially the same contour as the outer surface of the Contact 17 as shown, with a sleeve 28 of any suitable current-insulating material interposed therebetween and a washer 24 of insulating material surrounding the threaded ortion 20 of the contact 17 and engaging the top surface of the sleeve 23, whereby the contacts 17 and 18 are insulated from each other.

The upper end of the contact 18 is of upwardly tapering form as shown, at which portion it is surrounded by an expansible joint-sealing sleeve 25 of any suitable material, as for example lead. The sleeve 25 which is preferably tapered inwardly as shown at 26, engages at its inner surface with the tapered surface 26 of the contact 18 so that when this tubular contact is drawn upwardly in the boss 8 it will expand the sleeve 25 and make a tight joint between it and the boss 8 and cont-act 18, as shown in Fig. 4. The means shown for drawing the contact 18 to the position stated comprises a nut 27 screwed upon the threaded portion 20 of the contact 17 and against a washer 28 of current-insulating material which latter bears against a contact plate 29, which, in turn, bears against the upper end of the sleeve 25 and a iiange on the upper end of Contact 18, it being understood that upon tightening the nut 27 the structure comprising the contacts 17 and 18, with the interposed insulating material 23, will be forced upwardly in the sleeve 25 which latter is held down by the nut 27, thereby expanding the sleeve 25 into tight-joint-forming condition.

The sets 10 and 12 of the contact devices are of the same construction as the set 11 just described except that they are somewhat shorter in the particular construction shown and their center contacts are solid instead of hollow. The center contacts of these two sets of contact devices are represented at B Oand 31, re-

spectively, and the outer surrounding contacts, at 32 and 33, respectively.

The contact 17 is provided of tubular form and fitted with the extension tube 21 as described to permit of the evacuating of the air from the tube and the replacement thereof with any desirable inert gas, or combination of gases, or a suitable li uid, as for example, carbon tetrachloride, an the subsequent sealing of this assage, it being understood that after the tu e has been charged with the desired material following the evacuation thereof of its air content where necessary, or desirable, the operator to seal the tube merely bends the upper end of the tube 21 upon itself to close the opening therethrough and then solders it in place to produce the desired seal.

While the contacts 30 and 31 have been described as being solid instead of hollow, it will be understood that the center contacts of either of the sets 10 and 12 thereof may be hollow and fitted with a tube like the tube 21 in case it is desired that evacuation of the tube 5 and the charging thereof, be effected through one of the end sets of contact devices, or if desired, two sets of the contacts may be equipped with tubes 21 to be utilized in the filling of the tube 5 with liquid, the liquid entering the tube through one filling tube and the air venting through the other.

It will be understood from the foregoing that by utilizing my invention the tube 5 may be made either by blowing or moldin it from glass, the invention havin particu ar utility in connection with molde glass tubes inasmuch as tubes made of glass presenting the greatest resistance to heat, as for example quartz glass, must be roduced by the molding, as distinguished rom the blowing, process.

While I have illustrated and described m invention in connection with electrical switc tubes presenting three sets of contacts, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit my invention either to the details of construction shown, or to a switch device having a number of sets of contacts shown, or in fact to a switch device, as the invention has utility not only in switch tubes provided with a different number of sets of contacts, but also to electrical tubes not provided as parts of a switch device but provided, as for example, as the tubular portion of electrical ray-emitting structures such as ultra violet ray producing devices. The modifications a ove enumerated, as well as various other modifications may be made, and the invention utilized in connections other than those above referred to, without departing from the spirit of my inventon.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. An electrical tubular device having a hollow boss open at its opposite ends, nested electrodes insulated from each other and 1oincasso cated in said boss, and means forming a tight joint between said nested electrodes and between said nested electrodes and said boss.

2. An electrical tubular device having a hollow boss converging outwardly and open at its opposite ends, an electrode located in said boss, and inwardly tapering wedge means forming a tight joint between said electrode and said boss and comprising an expansion-sleeve member.

3. An electrical tubular device comprising a closed receptacle containing an electrode structure extending into said receptacle, and having an opening therethrou h, said electrode structure comprising a co lapsible tube extendin externally of the receptacle adapting it to e bent upon itself to close the opening therethrough, said electrode structure containing an opening therethrough, the outerbend portion of which is formed by said tu e.

4. An electrical tubular device comprising a closed receptacle containing an electrode structure extending into said receptacle, and having an opening therethrough, said electrode structure comprising a collapsible tube extending externally of the receptacle adapting it to be bent upon itself to close the opening therethrough, said tube being secured at its inner end portion in the outer end portion of said opening in said electrode structure.

5. An electrical tubular device having a hollow boss open at its opposite ends, nested electrodes both of which extend into said boss and are insulated from each other, and means. for producing a gas tight joint between said electrodes and said boss.

6. An electrical tubular device having a hollow boss open at its opposite ends, with the outer end of the opening therein restricted, an expansible sleeve in said boss, an electrode located in said sleeve, `and means for producing a tight joint between said sleeve nd electrode and between said sleeve and oss.

7. An electrical tubular device having a hollow boss open at its opposite ends, with the outer end of the opening therein restricted, an expansible sleeve in said boss, an electrode located in said sleeve, and means for drawing said electrode in an outward direction against said sleeve and expanding the latter against said boss.

8. An electrical tubular device having a hollow boss open at its opposite ends, an expansible sleeve in said boss, an electrode in said sleeve and havingits outer end threaded and a nut engaging the threaded portion of said electrode and operating against the outer end of said boss as an abutment, for the purpose set forth.

9. An electrical tubular hollow boss open at its expansible sleeve in said device having a opposite ends, an boss, an electrode structure in said boss and comprising relatively lengthwise movablenested electrodes and operating to expand said sleeve against said boss when said electrode structure is moved in an outward direction in said boss, and'means whereby when the inner one of said electrodes is moved in an outward direction relative to the other of said electrodes a gas tight joint will be produced therebetween.

10. An electrical tubular device having a hollow boss open at its opposite ends, an expansible sleeve in said boss, an electrode structure in said boss and comprising relatively lengthwise movable nested electrodes and operating to expand said sleeve against said boss when said electrode structure is moved in an outward direction in said boss, means whereby when the inner one of said electrodes is moved in an outward direction relative to the other of said electrodes a, gas tight joint will be produced therebetween and means for drawing the inner one of said electrodes in an outward direction to produce said gas tight joint and thereafter draw the outer one of said electrodes into spreading en agement with said sleeve.

11. n electrical tubular device having a. hollow boss open at its opposite ends, an expansible sleeve in said boss, an electrode structure in said boss and comprising relatively lengthwise movable nested electrodes and operating to expand said sleeve against said boss when said electrode structure: is moved in an outward direction in said boss, and insulating material between said electrodes, said electrodes being of such form that when the inner one thereof is moved in an outward direction, said electrodes become interlocked and form a tight joint and move as a unitary structure in said boss, for the purpose set forth.

12. An electrical tubular device havingV a hollow boss open at its opposite ends, an expansible sleeve in said boss, an electrode. structure in said boss and comprising relatively lengthwise movable nested electrodes and operating to expand said sleeve against said boss when said electrode structure is moved in an outward direction in said boss, insulating material between said electrodes, said electrodes being of such form that when the inner one thereof is moved in an outward direction, said electrodes become interlocked and form a tight joint and move as a unitary structure in said boss, for the purpose set forth, and means for applying orce to the outer one of said electrodes for drawing it in an outward direction.

GUY S. FABER. 

